Pressures apprentices face while working on site 

​​​​​​​Victoria Pirozzolo shares her experiences as a first-year apprentice, how she got her apprenticeship with Wickes, learning her skills, the work she's taken on so far, the challenges she faces on site, and her plans for the future involve

Robin Clevett, host of The Carpentry Show, chats with joinery apprentice Victoria Pirozollo. She reveals how she got into the trade, why, and the challenges she faces on-site. 

After the pandemic in 2020, Victoria travelled to Portugal to spend time with her family and was inspired to join the trade. However, her path to finding an apprenticeship wasn't easy. 

“When I returned to England, I emailed everyone and responded to all inquiries on Indeed. I also secured a job at a gardening and landscaping company but realised I have no talent for it. I just wanted to build the pathways and do the fencing. Later, I was given the chance to join Wickes as a kitchen apprentice," she explains.

As a woman in the trade, she feels pressure to represent women, especially if she's the only lady on site. "While I've not experienced anything bad, you don't want somebody to say, 'They can't do the job.' This is how I feel," she explains.

She also adds how she looks up to her female peers and hopes to become a successful female carpenter one day. 

Listen to the full podcast here.